The Disappearance
by TKids4ever
Summary: After Carter sends a note to each of the Unsung Heroes asking for help, his four comrades head to Stalag 13 to find out what is going on. Once they get there though, they discover that Carter has disappeared and it is their job to find him before it is too late.
1. The Note

Peter,

I need your help.

Andrew Carter

As Peter stepped out of the cab at the Dusseldorf train station he looked around noting the familiarity of the broken down platform. He couldn't count the number of times he had been here, usually with a stick of dynamite hidden under his coat, waiting in the shadows till the right time to deliver the package that Carter had carefully put together. He could still see some of the damage from those bombs so carefully laid to create maximum damage.

Peter stepped up onto the platform and started walking toward the ticket station, but he hadn't made it halfway there when he heard a loud crash on the opposite end of the station followed by a stream of angry french. Peter's eyes immediately sought out the commotion and he rushed over to see what was going on. What he saw stopped him in his tracts and caused him to burst out laughing. There stood good old Louis LeBeau, his hands balled into fists as though ready for a fight, in-front of a big German man yelling at him as though he were a five year old child. When Peter started to laugh though, Louis turned his angry eyes toward him, ready to challenge anyone who dared laugh at him, but when he caught sight of Newkirk, a smile brightened his face and he forgot all about his quarrel with the German man. He rushed toward Newkirk and put his arms around his friend murmuring multiple french greetings.

"Alright, alright mate. It's good to see you too." Peter laughed as he pulled the small Frenchman off of him. "What are you doing here?"

The change in LeBeau was immediate. His lively, excited actions turned serious and sad.

"I am not sure." He said. "I'm on my way to Stalag 13 to meet Carter."

"To meet Carter?" Peter asked, and suddenly he knew that LeBeau had received the same note that he had. LeBeau must have had the same thought.

"You received the same note didn't you?"

Peter nodded. "I'm worried about him LeBeau. It has been 5 years since I've heard from me mate, and then he suddenly sends that note. Something is wrong Louis. Really wrong."

They both stood in silence for a moment, both of them thinking about their friend, wondering where he was, and what was going on. But Louis, knowing that they couldn't just wait there all day long, pulled Peter forward.

"Come, we must purchase our tickets."


	2. He Never Went Home

Despite how worried Newkirk and LeBeau were, they still managed to enjoy the train ride to Hammelburg. It had been 5 years since they had been liberated, and though they had kept in contact, it was nice to actually sit and talk again. When they had separated in England 5 years earlier, each man had gone his own way, ready to start over and try to find a place to belong again. LeBeau had done well during the last 5 years, opening his first restaurant a year after the war ended. Since then he had opened 5 more restaurants and was known as one of the finest chefs in all of France. LeBeau was also presently engaged to Marie, a former french underground agent that they had worked with on occasion.

Peter, though not as well off as LeBeau, was doing well. After moving back to England he found himself a job as a security officer at a local bank. Though it was not the best paying job, it did allow for him to move his sister out of the East End to a better section of London where they lived comfortably. His sister had not stayed with him long though, since she got a job at a local dress shop and then, a year later, married her Boss' son who happened to be one of the men that Hogan and the rest of the boys at Stalag 13 had helped escape years before. She was now the mother of twin boys and Newkirk couldn't be a prouder uncle.

The two men continued to talk about their lives back home for a while before the topic began to stray toward the other men they had served with at Stalag 13.

"Have you heard anything from Colonel Hogan recently?" LeBeau questioned.

"Well, he's actually a General now, but I recon you knew that."

"Yes, but he will always be Colonel Hogan to me." LeBeau laughed. "I can't help it."

Newkirk nodded. "I know what you mean. I talk to him about once a month or so and he keeps telling me to call him Rob, but no matter what I do, I still call him colonel. Anyway, 'e is doing well. He and Kinchloe and still working on helping to rebuild Germany, but I believe they are back in the US right now. They needed a break. Kinchloe is a Captain now you know."

"Yes, he mentioned that in his last letter about two months ago. He is working hard."

"Besides that there really isn't much knew with the two of them." Newkirk continued softly. "But at least they write or call even if there isn't much going on."

LeBeau sat quietly for a moment before responding. "You thinking of Carter?"

Newkirk nodded. "It's been five years since we left the camp, and not once has Carter written or called. 'e was the one that I was sure would try to keep up with the rest of us, but no one 'as 'eard from 'im until this note came." He said, patting his jacket pocket. "I don't understand it."

"Perhaps it was not easy for him going back home." LeBeau whispered.

"He never went."

"What do you mean?" LeBeau questioned.

Newkirk raised his eyes to meet LeBeau's before he began speaking softly, his voice filled with worry. "After the war, Carter decided 'e didn't want to go back 'ome. He was in love with Mady and wanted to stay in Germany with 'er. Carter made me promise not to tell anyone till everything was settled. I didn't think much of it at first. For a while I got letters from Mady telling me how she and Carter were doing, but after the first year I stopped hearing from her. I figured they had moved on and didn't want me butting in. Now I wonder if maybe it was something else."

"Why didn't you tell us?" LeBeau asked, his voice filled with anger over the secret Peter had been keeping all these years.

"I made a promise. I had to keep it. I owed 'im at least that much."


End file.
